System for operating railroad traffic.



J. W. KAMMER.

SYSTEM FOR OPERATING RAILROAD TRAFFIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1913.

1,121,254. Patentqd Dec. 15, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

LY/Q @4 JuZz'zw Wok/Inner ATTORNEYS A VA VA THE NORRIS PETERS Co PHOTOQLITHO. WASH/No VON, D c

J. W. KAMMER.

SYSTEM FOR. OPERATING RAILROAD TRAFFIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1913.

1,1 21,254, Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

4 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

HE NORRH5 PEYERS Cu r HOTO-LITHO, WASHIN, YUN I. r

J. W. HAMMER.

SYSTEM FOR OPERATING RAILROAD TRAFFIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1913.

1,1 21,254. Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 WITNESSES i INIENTOR ATTORNEYS J. W. KAMMER.

SYSTEM FOR OPERATING RAILROAD TRAFFIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19,1913.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

4 SHEBTSBHEET 4.

llll

HE women, PEI'ERS C0 PHOmJJTHflu WASHINhIu JULIUS W.

KAMMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SYSTEM FOR OPERATING RAILROAD TRAFFIC.

Application filed May 19, 1913.

To all Bl/k010i it may concern.

Be it lcnown that I, JULIUS \V. :KAMMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, borough of Richmond, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved System for Opeating Railroad Trailic, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide means, automatic in character, for stopping locomotives and trains when passing a set danger signal of conventional type; to provide means for preventing rear-end collissions due to inattcntion or neglect on the part of the locomotive driver of the following t ain; to provide means for compelling a desired alertness on the part of a locomotive driver; and to provide an automatic brake-setting system at reduced cost, and easy of construction.

One embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a pictorial view, somewhat diagrammatic in character, showing in vertical longitudinal section a locomotive equipped with a brakesetting apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale and in section, the section being taken on the line 22 in Fig. 3, showing the electro-actuated automatically-operated brake-setting valve; Fig. 3 is sectional view taken on the line 33 in Fig. 2; Fig. at is a vertical section of a railway track, showing in conjunction therewith a locomotive bogie truck and a mecha nism for closing a circuit to effect the closing of a brake-operating circuit in the rear of the actuating train; Fig. 5 is a detail view on an enlarged scale and in section, the section being taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 6, showing a circuit-closing latch and electromechanical devices to operate and release the same; Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 6-6 in-Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the automatic brake-setting system and visible traffic-controlling signals operated in conjunction therewith; Fig. 8 is a detail view in diagram, showing a modified form of the invention uniting the operative Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15,1914.

Serial No. 768,486.

results of the automatic brake-setting system and the visible traffic-controlling system.

As seen in the drawings, the brake-setting apparatus and operating system therefor herein disclosed are operated in conjunction with a sight signal system employing the usual semaphores 15, the arms of which are set by any suitable and well known mechanism.

It is not the intention of the present invention to substitute a signal system to replace or vary the operation of the signal systems employing the semaphores 15. The purpose of the invention is primarily to operate automatically the brakes of a train or locomotive if, in defiance or ignorance of a danger signal shown by the semaphores, said train or locomotive is allowed to pass said signal. A secondary object is to provide a brake-setting system which will auto matically protect a train from rear-end collision independently of the alertness or care of the sight-signal operator. lVith these purposes in view, I divide the roadbed into electrically insulated sections or blocks. The blocks may be of any desired length. As shown in the diagram, Fig. 7, the blocks 1 2 and 3, or the rails of the roadbed composing the same, are divided by interposed insulating sections 16. One of the railway rails at what may be termed the initial end of each block is electrically connected by means of a wire 17 to a terminal post 18. Opposite the point of connection of the wire 17 with the railway rail, and in each block, an auxiliary contact rail 19 is provided. The auxiliary rail 19 is electrically connected by means of a wire 20 with a hinge connector 21. The connector 21 is pivoted at 22, and is formed as an armature, which is attracted by a magnet 23 when energized. When the magnet 23 is energized, the connector 21 is drawn downward to the position shown at the left of Fig. 7 of the drawings. The connector 21 is held in this position and in contact with the post 18 by the head of a latch 21. The latch 24: is normally held by a spring 25 (see Fig. 5 of the drawings), to retain the connector 21 in contact with the post 18 in the manner as described.

The wires 17 the rails to which they are attached, the posts 18, connectors 21, the wires 20, and the auxiliary rails 19 of all of theblocks constitute the half of a circuit, which is completed by the wheels 26 of the ing over each of energized, draws head of a lever locomotive when on the rail to which the wire 17- is attached. The wire 27 on the locomotive, the battery 28 carried by the locomotive, the magnets 29 in the cab of the locomotive, the wire 30 of the locomotive, and a rolling contact wheel 31, when passthe auxiliary rails 19, complete the circuit when any connector 21 is closed on its corresponding postv 18. This circuit is the brake-operating circuit, the brakes being operated by exhausting the train-pipe 32 by opening a valve on a stem 33, said valve being located on a branch pipe 34. The valve stem 33 has rigidly connected thereto an arm 35, to which a spiral spring 36 is connected. (see Figs. 2 and. 3 of the drawings). The spring 36 is coiled about the spindle, and is anchored by means of a pin 37 to a face-plate or disk 38, with which the valve housing is provided.

Normally, the spring 36 operates to swing the arm 35 to rest against a stop 39. When the arm 35 is in this position, the valve is in open position, permitting the air to escape from the pipe 32, to effect what is known as an emergency stop. It will be understood in this connection that though the valve operates in this manner, any other suitable well-known valve constructed and arranged.

to produce what is known as a service stop could be substituted for the simple valve referred to as connected to the stem 33. The throw of the arm 35 in the manner above described is, in service, prevented by the interposition of a blade 40. The blade 40 is operated upon by the magnet 29, which, when the blade 40 out of the path-of the arm 35. The free end of the blade 40 is guided by a supporting post 41, as seen best in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

From the above it will be seen that whenever in the operation of the system the magnets 23 have been energized to draw the connectors 21 to contact with the posts 18, said connectors being thereafter locked by the latch 24, the circuit incorporating the battery 28 and magnets 29 on each locomotive will be closed to energize the magnets 29 if a locomotive undertakes to pass the station at which said connector 21 is closed uponthe posts 18. The magnets 23 are energized by each locomotive after the same has passed over the auxiliary rail 19 located at the beginning of the block being entered. The magnets 23 are each provided with a separate battery 42, with which they are connected by wires 43 and44 when the knife 46 is introduced between the jaws of a switch 47. The levers 46 correspond in construction and arrangement with the levers 48 of the released circuits forming part of the present system. The levers 46 and 48 are each mounted on pivot shafts 49 formed in independent posts 50 having each a separate foundation and mounted adjacent the railway rails. The levers 46 and 48 have each a short arm equipped at the end thereof with a roller 51 to rest beneath, and in contact with, the railway rail, to be operated thereby. The proportion of the short and long ends of the levers is such as to magnify the slight movement of the ends of the levers sufliciently to insert the knife head 45 between the spring blades of the switch 47 when moved thereto and when released to withdraw from contact with the set switch. The operation thus effected is caused by the sag of the rail under the weight of the locomotive.

By reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings, it will be seen that t -e lever 46 at each station is operated by the locomotive in the manner above described after the wheel 31 on the locomotive has passed over and is out of contact with the auxiliary rail 19, at the corresponding station. The result of this operation is that, having passed this station, the locomotive has set the circuit incorporating the connector 21, post 18, auxiliary rail 19, and railway rail corresponding thereto, to complete the circuit of a following locomotive having a wheel 31, battery 28 and magnet 29. Thus, if the following locomotive, ignoring the danger signal set by the semaphore 15, overruns said signal into the block where the switch-setting circuit is complete, the magnets 29 will move the blade 40 to release the arm 35 and permit the spring 36 to operate and open the valve on the pipe 34 to set the brakes of the locomotive, and train if attached thereto. Having'set the brakesetting circuit, the locomotive now proceeds, setting each of the brake-setting circuits at each of the following blocks. At certain predetermined distances or intervals, the traveling locomotive automatically releases a brake-setting circuit which it formerly set. Preferably the interval at which the releasing circuits operate comprises two blocks; that is to say, when, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the locomotive enters block number 3, the lever 48 in block 3 operates to close the circuit in which is incorporated the battery 52 and magnet 53. The magnet, as shown, is stationed in block number 1, and is arranged to draw the latch 24 from engagement with the connector 21, to permit the spring 54 to lift theconnector from engagement with the post 18, thus breaking the circuit incorporating the. auxiliary rail 19, at the entrance to the block number 1, said block then being free for the passage of a locomotive equipped with the herein-described brake-setting mechanism. In each succeeding block thereafter a lever 48 is operated to energize the circuit incorporating the next succeeding battery 52 and magnet 53, successively releasing the set of the brake-setting circuits to free the block for the entrance of a following locomotive. "By

this arrangement, it will be noted that one complete block is at all times interposed between a locomotive and train attached thereto and a following locomotive.

It will also be understood that the system herein described is not intended as a primary tratiic-operating system nor to, in any sense, replace the directive signals, such as the semaphores 15 shown in the accompanydrawings. T. he system is rather a safeguard to provide against carelessness, inattention or death on the part of the engineer, whereby the instruction signal is either unseen or ignored. In this connection there is provided, mounted conveniently in the cab of the locomotive, an electric switch on the wire 30, the opening of which switch prevents the energizing of the magnets 29 and the operating of the brake-setting mechanism herein described. The switch 55, when not manually held open, is closed by a spring 56.

iVhile I have herein shown a simple form of switch, it will be understood that I may employ an indicating switch or other form to detect the fact that the switch has been operated. By providing the locomotive with the switch 55, it is possible, when the engineer desires, to run past a danger signal. This is oftentimes convenient where the engineer, being advised of the danger ahead, has his engine and train well under control, so that he can approach the danger point and either lend assistance or avoid loss of time.

lin Fig. 8 of the drawings, a modified form of the invention is shown, wherein the mechanism for setting the danger signal or arm of the semaphore 15, is provided with a contact member 57, which, closing a switch 58, operates to close the brake-setting circuit employing the wires 17 and 20 and the auxiliary rail 19.

As seen in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the device is simplified to show that when the lever 59 is drawn to set the arm of the semaphore 15, the track section of the brakesetting mechanism is set to close the circuit incorporating the magnets 29 in the cab of an engine if the same runs past the semaphore signal. It will be understood that when the modified form of the invention herein described is employed, the rail 19 may be disposed at any distance desired from the corresponding semaphore.

Tlaims:

l. A system for operating railroad traliic, comprising relatively insulated track block sections serially disposed; a plurality of auxiliary contact rails, each mounted on the roadbed, adjacent the entrance end of one of said blocks; a plurality of operating electric circuits disposed in pairs, each circuit embodying a battery, an operating magnet and a normally-open switch, the switches of each pair of circuits being disposed adjacent the entrance ends of said blocks, be tween said contact rails and the ends of said blocks, the magnet of one of said circuits in each of said pairs being disposed remotely at the rear of its controlling switch. and the magnet of the other of said circuits in each of said pairs being local to its controlling switch; a plurality of mech:inicallvoperated devices for closing said switches to complete said circuits and 'ener: gize their respective magnets; a plurality of electric-circuit sections, each embodying one of said contact rails, a fixed switch member, a movable switch member operable by one of said local magnets, and an electrical connection with one of the track rails of the block to which said contact rail belongs; and a latch for holding said movable switch member in contact with said stationary switch member, said latch being controlled by the magnet of a circuit, the clo-' sure switch whereof is in a block in front of said magnet.

A system for operating railroad traflic, comprising relatively insulated track block sections serially disposed; a plurality of auxiliary contact rails, each mounted on the roadbed, adjacent the entrance end of one of said blocks; a plurality of operating electric circuits disposed in pairs, each circuit embodying a battery, an opening magnet and a normally-open switch, the switches of each pair of circuits being disposed adjacent the entrance ends of said blocks, between said contact rails and the ends of said blocks, the magnet of one of said circuits in each of said pairs beingrdisposed remotely at the rear of its controlling switch, and the magnet of the other of said circuits in each of said pairs being local to its controlling switch; a plurality of mechanicallyoperated devices for closing said switches to complete said circuits and energize their respective magnets; a plurality of electriccircuit sections, each embodying one of said contact rails, a fixed switch member, a movable switch member operable by one of said local magnets, and an electrical connection with one of the track rails of the block to which said contact rail belongs; a latch for holding said movable switch member in contact with said stationary switch memher, said latch being controlled by the magnet of a circuit, the closure switch whereof is in a block in front of said magnet; and means for normally maintaining said latch in holding relation to said movable switch member.

3. A system for operating railroad trafiic, comprising relatively insulated track block sections serially disposed; a plurality of auxiliary contact rails, each mounted on the roadbed, adjacent the entrance end of one of said blocks; a plurality of operating electric circuits disposed in pairs, each circuit embodying a battery, an operating magnet and a normally-open switch, the switches of each pair of circuits being disposed adjacent the entrance ends of one of said blocks, between said contact rails and the ends of said blocks, the magnet of one of said circuits in each ingidisposed remotely at the trolling switch, and the magnet of the other of said circuits in each of said pairs being local to its controlling switch; a plurality of mechanically-operated devices for closing said switches to complete said circuits and energize their respective magnets; a plurality of electric-circuit sections, each embodying one of said contact rails, a fixed switch member, a movable switch member operable by one of said local magnets, and an electrical connection with one of the track rails of the block to which said contact rail belongs; a latch for holding said movable switch member in contact with said stationary switch member, said latch being controlled by the magnet of a circuit, the closure switch whereof is in a block in front of said magnet; means for normally maintaining said latch in holding relation to said movable switch member; and a plurality of moving members, each having an air-brake system and an electric circuit sec.- tion embodying a trailer contact to'engage said contact rails, a battery carried on each of said moving members, and an electromagnet connected with said air-brake system to operate the same when the circuit section is energized by the closure of the circuit section having the movable switch member, at each operating station.

i. A system for operating railroad traific, comprising relatively insulated track block sections serially disposed; a plurality of auxiliary contact rails, each mounted on the roadbed, adjacent the entrance end of one of said blocks; a plurality of operating electric circuits disposed inpairs, each cir- Cupies of this patent may be obtained for of said pairs be-- rear or its concuit embodying a battery, an operating magnet and a normally-open switch, the switches of each pair of circuitsbeing disposed adjacentthe entrance ends of one of said blocks, between saidcontact rails and the ends of said blocks, the magnet of one of said circuits ineach of said pairs being disposed remotely at the rear of its controlling switch, and the magnet of the other of said circuits in each of said pairs being local to its controlling switch; a plurality of mechanically-operated devices for closing said switches to complete said circuits and energize their respective magnets; a

plurality of electric-circuit sections, each embodying one of said contact rails, a fixed switch member, a movable switch member operable by one of said local magnets, and an electrical connection with one of the track rails of the block to which said contact rail belongs; a latch for holding said movable switch member in contact with. said stationary switch member, said latch being controlled by the magnet of a circuit, the closure switch whereof is in a block in front of said magnet; means for normally maintaining said latch in holding relation to said movable switch member; of moving members, each having an airbrake system and an electric-circuit section embodying a trailer contactto engage said contact rails, a battery carried on each of said moving members, and an electro-magnet; an automatically-opening valveto operate said system; and a latch normally holding said valve in closed relation and operable by said magnet to release said valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS KAMMER.

"Witnesses:

E. F. MURDOCK,

PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

a plurality 

